Digest

Bell-Cudahy : Cable Panel's Life Extended

The Bell and Cudahy city councils have extended a cable TV joint-powers commission until 2001 to correspond with a recently awarded franchise.

The councils, in action last week in Cudahy and on Monday in Bell, followed a recommendation by the Bell-Cudahy Cable Television Commission.

The joint-powers authority was created last June after neither city was able to lure a cable franchise. Because city officials "weren't sure the thing would ever work," they established the authority for only three years, said Byron Woosley, the commission's executive director and Bell city administrator.

In March, the commission awarded a 15-year franchise to Masada Corp. after it received applications last year from three firms.

"We can't have the authority expire before the franchise," Woosley said. He added that the councils must approve an amendment to the original joint-powers agreement to extend the life of the authority.